Improvement in coffins



J. SHANNON.

Goffins.

No. 212,273. Patented Feb. 11,1879.

Liven-[0r mfizesses zanllepu l UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

JAMES sHANNoN, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN COFFINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,273, dated February11, 1879 application filed December 11, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SHANNON, of the city of Baltimore, in theState of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Ooffins andBurial-Caskets, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

The object of the invention is twofold: First, it is designed to preventthe displacement of the corpse in the coffin after the closing of thelid and during the transfer of the remains down a flight of steps orstairway to the groundfioor of the house, when the corpse is apt to slipto the lower end of the cotfin, and also to steady the remains in thecasket while in the hearse and on the route to the cemetery or place ofinterment. .It is well known to undertakers and others having charge ofthe final disposition of deceased persons that, where the coffin isopened at the grave or vault, the remains rarely present the sameappearance, or are in the same position as when first placed in thecasket.

Secondly, this invention aims to frustrate the efforts of persons who,from motives of enpidity, attempt to remove the remains from the grave.

That the nature and utility of my invention may be the betterunderstood, the mode of operation practiced by, body-snatchers orresurrectionists may be briefly explained as follows: The operators,having reached the grave and ascertained the point exactly above thehead of the corpse, employ a posthole digger, or similar implement,first sinking itinto, and then drawing it up with, the earth until thecoffin is reached. A large hole is thus cut in the earth immediatelyover the head of the corpse. The coffin-lid is then battered open, andthe subject drawn to the surface by means of a hook placed under thechin.

In the description of the invention which follows, due reference must behad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of acotfin, showing the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionof the coffin, also showing the application of the invention. Figs. 3and 4 are perspective views of the appliances constituting theinvention, as hereinafter set forth.

A is the body of the coflfin, at the foot of which are secured stops at,projecting vertically from the bottom of the coffin, and against whichthe feet of the corpse are placed. Forming parts of said stops areuprights a a a, the flat faces of which are at right angles to the facesof the stops to, and set back some distance therefrom. In the saiduprights are eyes b,through which a retaining device, preferably astrap, 0, having a buckle, c, is passed, the strap binding the ankles ofthe corpse.

The central upright, a, serves as a (livid ing-piece between the anklesof the deceased, each of which rests in a space between said centralupright and one of the outer uprights, a or a. The central upright ispreferably made higher than the outer ones; but this constructionneednot be adhered to.

At the waist are two inverted T-shaped ap pliances, the central membersof which constitute uprights d, the said appliances being secured to thebottom of the coffin at such dis tances apart as will allow the deceasedperson to rest between them, and having eyes through which a retainingdevice or strap, d, provided with the buckle cl, is carried, andfastened around the waist, as shown. The uprights d, resting against andimmediately forward of the hips, would receive and effectually resistsuch strain as would be necessary to draw the corpse from the coffin.

The effect of these simple devices is to prevent the displacement of theremains in the coffin, either when carried down a declivity or in ahearse, while it is evident that the body cannot be taken from the graveby body snatchers except by first removing all the earth from thecoffin-an undertaking which would be too lengthy and laborious to beattempted.

I claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States- 1. The foot and ankle rest herein described,

consisting of the stops a and uprights aa a, provided with eyes,substantially as speci fied, the said rest bcin g adapted for use in connection with a suitable retaining device, and to be secured to the footend of a coffin or burial-casket, for the purposes set forth.

2. The waist attachment herein described, consisting of a pair ofinverted T-shaped appliances, the central members of which form uprightsd,the1atterbeing provided with eyes, In testimony whereof I have heretosubas shown, the said attachment being adapted scribed my name. for usein connection With a suitable retaining device, and to be secured to thebottom of a JAMES SHANNON eoffin or burial-casket at or near the centerof Witnesses: its length, or just above the hips of the occu- WILLIAM G.RAY,

pant, for the purposes set forth. E. PRATT SPEAK.

